I'd like to say a word about the name of the blog. We've all heard of the expression, "a brush with death," which refers to a close encounter that a person has with death. We've called this blog, "A Brush with Life," because Jesus is the Life, and these works of art are for His glory. The brush or pencil is merely an instrument in the hand of the skillful person, who has fully committed his or her life to God, who is the Master Craftsman and Creator of all. But when His life flows through that person, it brings glory to Him.
A Deer Miss
Earlier this evening, the day after New Year's Day, we decided to go out to eat as a family to celebrate the completion of the children's first semester of school. Before we left home, we prayed for protection for ourselves on the journey. It was dark and rainy, as we made our way into the city, down a two-lane state highway out in the country. We were traveling at nearly 50 miles per hour, and so was the car coming toward us.
As we were just about to pass by the oncoming car, and only had what seemed like five or six feet remaining between the front of our two vehicles going in opposite directions in our separate lanes, a deer jumped out from our left hand side of the road. It dashed in front of the other car and in front of our van. We did not even see it, except for a split second as it leaped across to the right side of the road in front of our passenger's side headlight. All we caught was that quick flash image of the deer leaping across the road right in front of our headlight, and it was gone. We came so close to hitting it, because it looked like it was not more than one to three feet in front of our vehicle. What a near miss, or shall we say, a deer miss! We never even had time to touch the brakes and probably the other car didn't either. My wife and I immediately realized what had happened, and told the family how we had just been miraculously protected. Then we all began to thank and praise the Lord loudly and joyfully.
Had we been going one half a mile per hour faster or simply arrived at that spot a mere millisecond sooner, we would have collided with the deer. Had the other vehicle hit the deer with his driver's side front end, it could have thrown the deer into our windshield. Another possible scenario could have caused that car to swerve into us to avoid hitting the deer, or could have caused us to swerve off the road into a ditch, where we could have experienced a vehicle roll over. There were any number of ways it could have resulted in great injury or loss of life, and damage to our vehicle. But the Lord truly protected us. We marveled at how fast that deer would have had to go! The combined speed of our vehicle and the oncoming one was about 100 miles per hour, and the deer had only enough space to run between the two vehicles, but he made it through unscathed. We don't know how the Lord did it, or if an angel yanked him out of our way at light speed, but we do know it was truly a miracle. Praise the Lord!
The Demon that Causes Accidents
In a supernatural visitation that a fourteen-year old, Nigerian boy received from Jesus Christ in June 2013, the Lord showed him Beelzebuk, who is the demon that causes accidents and killings.
The Lord said, "You believers, learn to pray before (and cover yourself in) the journey, and dress as a Christian and let your character be as a Christian character, because satan has sent his blood-sucking demons to bring blood for him to use. Therefore beware and pray earnestly, because Beelzebuk has already fired darts to cause accidents. Therefore let my Name be praised. It is by mercy that thou art alive to this day." I encourage you read more about Samuel's testimony in my article, Visitation of Jesus to Samuel Oghenetega.
The Genesis of This Blog
After returning home from that close encounter, we started this blog, called "A Brush with Life," which I had spoken of with some of our children earlier in the day. Not knowing what would happen to us this evening on the road, I had already coined this blog's name after the expression, "a brush with death," except that the name I had chosen for the blog refers to the artist's brush depicting scenes that glorify the Creator, who is Life Himself. The name of the blog was something I received during prayer this morning, along with the leading to create such a gallery. When the Lord anoints his sons and daughters, to whom He has given artistic skills, their brush becomes a brush with Life!
"Jesus said to him, "I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father but through Me." (Joh 14:6). He alone is Life! There is no other Way to the Father besides Him. All other roads lead to death.
We should do everything in His name, even children's drawings. As the apostle Paul said, "Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father." (Col 3:17)
The Lord gives each of us gifts and talents, not so that we can get rich by them, but so that we may bring glory to Him. There are skillful people in whom the Lord has put skill, and whose hearts stir them to come and perform their work for the King. This was true of the Biblical figure Bezalel, son of Uri, who was appointed by Moses to oversee the design and construction of the Tabernacle (Exodus 35:30).
The Bible says, "Then Moses called Bezalel and Oholiab and every skillful person in whom the LORD had put skill, everyone whose heart stirred him, to come to the work to perform it." (Exodus 36:2)
Bezalel was an artistic designer of the materials that the Lord appointed for the tabernacle, which were to be made exactly according to the pattern shown to Moses on the mountain. He was also joined by Oholiab and many other skillful workmen, who helped him.
"All the skillful men among those who were performing the work made the tabernacle with ten curtains; of fine twisted linen and blue and purple and scarlet material, with cherubim, the work of a skillful workman, Bezalel made them." (Exo 36:8)
So I have created the following galleries for the glory of God, and appointed my fifteen-year old daughter to manage them under my direction.
Young Ladies of God Gallery
The "rooms" in this gallery contain art work created by my oldest daughters, C.V. and H.R., who are fifteen and thirteen years old respectively. Please check back from time to time, as we continue to add new art work to these rooms, as well as new rooms in this gallery.
Children of God Gallery
The "rooms" in this gallery contain art work created by my eleven-year old daughter, F.R., and my eight-year old son, C.R. It also includes some of my oldest daughter's work that she did when she was a child. Please check back from time to time, as we continue to add new art work to these rooms, as well as new rooms in this gallery.
| Heaven | God's Hand | New Testament |
| Rapture | Treasure | God's Creation |
| Light | Jesus | Old Testament |
| Adornment |
All recently added artwork is listed on the Recent Artwork page.
Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB.
Author's note: I also recommend visiting my children's blog, Verses to the King, where you will also find beautiful poetry they have written for the glory of God. You can access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master."
This blog is managed and maintained by my fifteen-year old daughter, C.V., under my training, direction, and guidance with a bit of assistance occasionally. She collaborates with her siblings (her fellow artists), then she creates digital representations of the art – through scanning or photography, crops it, organizes it, uploads it, creates the gallery rooms, organizes them, adds accompanying text (including Scriptures that she and her siblings have selected for their art), and publishes them to the web. She is learning responsibility, teamwork, administrative skills, and computer skills -- including some HTML programming, a bit of graphic design, photography, website development, and website publishing. In addition, this is a ministry that allows our children to lovingly share their artistic talents and the Scriptures with others, bringing glory to God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Most importantly it leads them to meditate more on the Word of God.
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Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International. He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.
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